Finally, UAAP Embraces Esports
The UAAP will introduce esports starting with these three titles.
In a historic move, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has revealed plans to include esports in its sports roster, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of collegiate athletics in the country. This groundbreaking decision reflects the growing popularity and acceptance of competitive gaming as a legitimate sport.
“We will come up with esports, we planned to launch it in Season 86,” Rebo Saguisag, UAAP Executive Director, told ALL-STAR.
“But for one reason or another, logistics and internal challenges, the target is to hold it in between Seasons 86 and 87. Whether you consider it as Season 86 or 87, it doesn’t matter but it is something we can look forward to,” Saguisag added.
According to Tessa Jazmines, Media Officer of the UAAP, the esports tournaments will launch before the opening of UAAP Season 87.
The decision to introduce esports into the league reflects the growing demand from students and the broader community for competitive gaming. The inaugural season for esports will feature popular game titles such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, NBA2K, and Valorant, ensuring a diverse range of competitions that cater to various gaming enthusiasts.
Among the three titles, MLBB is the most popular esports title in the Philippines. In the recently concluded MPL Philippines Season 13, peak viewers during the Playoffs reached over 800,000 during the finals match between Team Liquid ECHO and Falcons AP BREN.
UAAP Esports Organizations
Although it is the first time the UAAP will introduce esports in the league, esports is an old hat for member universities, which have long established esports organizations.
Here are some esports organizations within the UAAP, representing universities in various esports competitions across different game titles.
- Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU)
- Loyola Gaming
- De La Salle University (DLSU)
- Viridis Arcus
- University of the Philippines (UP)
- Oblation Esports
- University of Santo Tomas (UST)
- Teletigers Esports Club
- Far Eastern University (FEU)
- TamsFX
- Adamson University (AdU)
- AdU GAME
- National University (NU)
- NU Alpha Gaming
- University of the East (UE)
- UE Zenith
This historic inclusion of esports in the UAAP underscores the league’s forward-thinking approach to evolving times, recognizing the immense potential and talent within the gaming community. It also expands the potential talent pool of the country as it positions itself as one of the world’s most dominant countries in esports.
